Volume One, Chapter 11: A Dou’s Shock—Yang Yi Is the True Victor?
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In Chengdu, deep within the Forbidden City, the atmosphere inside the imperial palace was heavy and oppressive.
Liu Shan sat calmly upon the imperial throne, clad in a dragon robe, an air of majesty arising naturally from him.
Beside him stood a palace attendant, solemnly serving at his side.
“Your Majesty, a secret report has just arrived. We have learned, to our horror, that last night the Chancellor, having merely caught a chill, suddenly passed away at his residence…”
Every word spoken by the eunuch seemed to weigh a thousand pounds, as though a boulder had been laid upon Liu Shan’s chest, leaving him momentarily unable to breathe.
“The Chancellor is dead?!”
At first, Liu Shan thought he had heard incorrectly. But when he saw the attendant’s expression, he rose abruptly from his throne.
“Imperial Father… Wasn’t Imperial Father perfectly well just a few days ago?”
A thunderclap seemed to explode in Liu Shan’s mind. Tears flowed like a broken string, and his trembling voice was filled with disbelief and profound grief.
Warm memories of his days with Zhuge Liang surged before him like a swelling tide.
Within Shu-Han, no one had relied upon Zhuge Liang more than Liu Shan.
When he had first ascended the throne, he had known nothing of governing a state. It was only thanks to Imperial Father, who had personally attended to every matter and exhausted himself in his service, that the foundations of Shu-Han had remained secure.
At every court assembly, Imperial Father had stood at his side, producing one brilliant strategy after another and guiding him in the affairs of the realm.
Yet now Imperial Father had departed this world. How could Liu Shan not be heartbroken?
“Imperial Father devoted his entire life to his duties, giving everything for Shu-Han. Yet I was unable to share even the slightest part of his burden…”
Liu Shan was consumed by self-reproach.
“Imperial Father, now that you have left me, what am I to do?”
His sobs echoed through the vast palace, and his sorrow seemed to congeal within every breath of air.
Unable to bear the sight, the attendant hurried forward, bowed, and tried to console him.
“Your Majesty, please restrain your grief.”
“The Chancellor devoted his entire life to Shu-Han, exhausting his wisdom and strength for the state. If his spirit watches from beyond, he would surely not wish to see Your Majesty so sorrowful!”
Liu Shan slowly wiped away the tears sliding from the corners of his eyes, then suddenly shouted, “Prepare the imperial carriage! At once! I… I will go personally to the Chancellor’s residence to pay my respects!”
With that, Liu Shan was about to wave his hand and give the order. The attendant, however, hastened forward, his expression grave, and shook his head in protest.
“Your Majesty, the situation is now as tangled as a skein of thread. With matters so intricate and chaotic, it would be most unwise for Your Majesty to place yourself in danger.”
“The Chancellor’s sudden death has set every faction in the court stirring. All of them wish to seize this opportunity to contend for power and influence, so that they may determine what comes next!” The attendant’s voice was low, each word deliberate. “If Your Majesty goes personally to the Chancellor’s residence at this moment, you will be placing yourself directly at the center of the storm. The danger would be immense. I beg Your Majesty to consider the matter carefully before acting.”
Hearing this, Liu Shan’s grief was joined by confusion and bewilderment. He demanded, “How dare they?! I am the Son of Heaven! Who would dare act against me?!”
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The attendant immediately fell to his knees, his voice growing ever more urgent and earnest.
“Your Majesty, you are the sovereign of the empire. Your safety is bound to the rise and fall, the survival and destruction, of the nation! The present situation may appear calm on the surface, but beneath it, hidden currents surge, and danger lurks everywhere!”
Seeing that Liu Shan still looked hesitant, the attendant grew frantic and continued:
“Your Majesty may not yet know this, but troops of unknown origin have already been quietly stationed around the imperial city. Their intentions are impossible to discern. This old servant fears deeply that treacherous men may seek to harm Your Majesty!”
Upon hearing this, Liu Shan’s brows drew tightly together. The grief on his face instantly turned to astonishment and fury. His eyes widened in disbelief.
“What?! The imperial city has been surrounded?! Who would dare such outrageous insolence?!”
The imperial city stood at the very heart of Chengdu, the central seat of Shu-Han. For anyone to dare station a large force there was utterly absurd.
The attendant gave a bitter smile and continued his remonstrance.
“Your Majesty, there must be a conspiracy behind this. We are trapped within the palace and know nothing of what is happening outside. The Chancellor died last night, yet the palace did not receive word until this afternoon!”
“If Your Majesty insists on leaving the palace to visit the Chancellor’s residence, and the various factions are currently struggling for control of it, how will Your Majesty respond when the time comes?”
The attendant’s heartfelt words filled Liu Shan with dread. After a moment, he asked in a trembling voice:
“Then tell me—what exactly should I do?”
“Imperial Father is dead, the imperial city has been surrounded in an instant, and the wolves of Cao Wei are watching from the north. At a time of internal and external peril such as this, what… what am I to do?”
At that moment, Liu Shan had none of a ruler’s dignity. Zhuge Liang’s death had thrown his thoughts into complete disarray.
After a brief moment of reflection, the attendant spoke in a steady voice.
“Your Majesty, the most urgent matter is to stabilize the situation. You must not lose your composure.”
“In this old servant’s view, the ministers of the court are contending only for authority over the Chancellor’s office. They have no intention of usurping Your Majesty’s position. Your Majesty would do well to remain still and respond according to how events unfold. Once the situation becomes clear, you may then make your decision.”
His words brought Liu Shan a measure of comfort, and he forcibly suppressed the panic within him.
“Yes… yes! They are all loyal subjects who love their country. They would never betray me. All they seek is the power Imperial Father once held!”
“Then… who do you think will prevail in this struggle?”
Liu Shan suddenly asked the question.
“Your Majesty, this old servant knows little of the affairs of the court. But among the civil officials, Jiang Wan and Fei Yi are the most likely to carry on the Chancellor’s legacy. Among the military commanders, Wei Yan is also a possibility.”
“There is one other—the trusted minister whom the late Emperor charged with the care of the heir: Li Yan.”
“Jiang Wan and Fei Yi have long served at the heart of the government. They enjoy the people’s confidence, and the Chancellor cultivated them during his lifetime. Among the civil officials, their foundations are deep.”
“As for General Wei Yan, he commands a powerful army and guards Hanzhong. His military achievements are illustrious, and no one in the army surpasses him in prestige.”
After hearing the attendant’s analysis, Liu Shan nodded.
“You speak truly. If Jiang Wan or Fei Yi prevails, perhaps Imperial Father’s way of governing can be continued.”
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“If Wei Yan prevails, Imperial Father once said that although he is fierce of temperament, he is utterly loyal to Shu-Han and can likewise keep our borders secure. It is only…”
Liu Shan furrowed his brow, worry covering his face.
“I do not know which of them will prevail. What if their struggle throws Shu-Han into internal chaos? What am I to do then?”
The attendant hurried to reassure him.
“Your Majesty, matters have already come to this. There is no benefit in worrying.”
“We should hold our forces in reserve and take no action for the moment. Once they have established who is superior, Your Majesty can appear and reclaim supreme authority. In this way, you can control the situation while avoiding a direct confrontation.”
Liu Shan let out a long sigh. His eyes were filled with weariness and confusion.
“Now that Imperial Father is gone, the civil officials and military commanders have all begun scheming to seize power. They have truly betrayed all the painstaking effort Imperial Father devoted to them!”
Just as Liu Shan was trembling with unease, a young eunuch hurried in from outside, his face filled with panic.
“Your Majesty, an urgent report!”
“Yang Yi, the Chief Secretary, is outside. He respectfully requests that Your Majesty go to the Chancellor’s residence to pay your respects.”
“Yang Yi?!”
At the mention of that name, Liu Shan and the attendant both revealed expressions of astonishment.
Liu Shan understood perfectly well that whoever invited him out of the palace to mourn Imperial Father at such a moment would be the winner of this contest.
But why was it not Jiang Wan, Wei Yan, or Li Yan? Why Yang Yi?
Liu Shan stared in utter disbelief.
“Yang Yi? How could it be him?”
The attendant was equally stunned.
After standing dazed for a long while, he finally recovered and murmured, “Your Majesty, Yang Yi is certainly learned and has often assisted the Chancellor in handling government affairs. His contributions are beyond dispute. Yet he has always been at odds with General Wei Yan, and the depth of their hostility is known throughout the court and the realm. Moreover, in terms of prestige, Yang Yi falls short of worthy ministers such as Jiang Wan and Fei Yi. How is it that after the Chancellor’s death, Yang Yi has somehow taken control of the entire court?”
“Yet Yang Yi has ignored the troops surrounding the palace and calmly invited Your Majesty to go and mourn the Chancellor. If this servant may venture a conjecture, such courage and confidence could only belong to the man who controls the situation.”
“As for the troops stationed outside the palace—if they are not under Yang Yi’s command, how else can their presence be explained?”
“In other words, the person who can come safely to request Your Majesty’s presence must surely be the victor of this struggle.”
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